Kumakura Garden - Southern Illinois University

The Kumakura Garden, on the campus of Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, IL, was a garden that contained several features of an authentic Japanese garden. 

This garden, built in 1998, is located within the larger Dorothy Morris Gardens and was intended to recognize the friendship between SIU and the city of Nakajo, in Japan. Nakajo was once the location of a SIU campus in Japan (which no longer exists). The garden was named after Nobuo Kumakura, the mayor of Nakajo at the time of the garden's construction. It’s a well planned garden. Structures, hardscape, and plantings all work well together, but the garden needs some serious attention in regard to weeding and general maintenance.

 

Interestingly, the garden is adjacent to a parking lot, from where one can see the main gate and tea pavilion.

 

 

The small water feature needs some attention, but otherwise a good example of a micro stream/pond within the garden.

The metal bridge is not a great design. A more authentic bridge would enhance the scene.

  

The tea pavilion was well constructed and its placement well thought out. from almost any vantage point it added interest to the garden.

 

 

I was honestly expecting something much smaller garden, so it was a pleasant surprise to see how nice it was. With some regular weeding and maintenance, this garden has even more potential to be a garden worthy of a visit.